Farm-gate.



W. S. HOLLAND.

FARM GATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1916.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Meme/1 WSiphen H0 a mu wh mn W. S. HOLLAND.

FARM GATE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. I916- I 1,205,208. Patented Nov.21, 1916.

3 SHEET$SHEET 2. F"-- 1 z: 6'

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W. S. HOLLAND.

FARM GATE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. IQFG- Patented Now-.21, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WILLIAM STEPHEN HOLLAND, OF BEDFORD, VIRGINIA.

FARM-GATE.

Application filed June 13, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM STEPHEN HOLLANDa citizen of the United States, residing at Bedford, in the county ofBedford and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Farm- Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to farm gates and it consists in'the novelfeatures hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a gate of the characterindicated which is of simple and durable structure and which includes apanel hingedly mounted upon a supporting post and having a latch memberadapted to engage keepers mounted upon suitable posts. 1

An object of the invention is to provide in combination with a gatepanel of the character indicated means adapted to be operated by avehicle wheel for swinging the panel from a closed to an open positionand vice versa. The gate panel is provided with two such means onelocated at each side of the panel and both operatively connected withthe same. Each operating means includes a pivotally mounted springactuated trip which normally lies upon the ground, a ramp forswingingthe said trip from a lowered to an elevated position when the said rampis engaged by an approaching wheel, and a second ramp adapted to movethe trip into engagement with the gate operating means and also adaptedto be engaged by the vehicle wheel. When the elevated trip is engaged bythe vehicle wheel it moves the gate operating means whereby the panel isswung from a closed to an open position and simultaneously the othertrip is swung from alowered to an elevated positi on. When the vehiclepasses through the gate opening the wheel encounters the last imentioned trip which is swung whereby the connecting means swings thegate panel from an open to a closed position.

Another object of the invention is to so arrange the elements and thefeatures of the device as to render it practically impossible for cattleor stock to open or close the gate panel by walking or stepping on theramps or the trips. In other words, the parts are Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 103,525.

so arranged that they must be operated successively ina regularpredetermined order to affect the opening or the closing of the gatepanel.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a top plan view of the gate;Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the gate panel showing some of theoperating parts in section; Fig. 3 is a detailed horizontal sectionalview of a portion of the gate cut 011 the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isa vertical sectional view of a portion of the same cut on the line H ofFig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detailed sec tional view of a portion of the gatecut on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a top plan view showing therelative positions of the parts when one of the trips is in an elevatedposition; Fig. 7 is a. similar view showing the relative positions ofthe parts when the trip is in a lowered position; Fig. 8 is a transversesectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 7 cut on the line 88 thereofand showing the parts in their normal positions; Fig. 9 is a similarview showing the relative positions of the parts when one of a the rampshas been depressed by an approaching wheel; Fig. 10 is a similar viewshowing the relative positions of the parts when the other ramp has beendepressed by the approaching wheel; Fig. 11 is a similar view showingthe relative positions of the parts when the wheel is about to leave thedepressed trip; Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the relative positionsof the parts when the gate panel is about to be closed by an approachingwheel; Fig. 13 is a similar view showing the relative positions of theparts when the wheel is about to leave the trip after moving the gatepanel to a closed position; Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of thepanel operating mechanisms; Figs. 15 and 16 are detailed views of thefeatures of the panel operating mechanism.

The gate structure includes a hinged post 1 which is planted in theground in the usual manner and upon which is mounted alined bearings 2.A shaft 3 is journaled in the bearings 2. A resilient arm 4 is attachedto the shaft 3 at a point between the bearings 2 and the said armcarries at its lower end a curved shoe 5. A gate panel 6 is hingedlymounted upon the shaft 3 and carries at its free edge a spring latch 7.A wire 8 or other suitable element is connected at one end with the freeend portion of the latch 7 and at its other end with one end of the shoe5. A post 9 is planted in the ground opposite the post 1 and carrieskeeper 10 in which the latch 7 is adapted to engage when the panel 6 issecured in a closed position. Posts 11 are planted in the ground at theopposite sides of the hinge post 1 and carry suitable keepers 12. A gearwheel 13 is fixed to the lower inner corners of the panel '6 andreceives the lower portion of the shaft 3. The said gear wheel 13 isconcentermediate portion of which is transversely disposed across theupper side of the lowermost bearing 2. The yoke 15 is provided at itsintermediate portion with an upstanding lug 16 which is received withinthe curved shoe 5 as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

When the bar 14 is moved longitudinally the yoke 15 moves with the sameand the lug 16 comes in contact with the shoe 5 and by reason of thecurvature of the said shoe the lowermost portion of the arm 4 is movedin a direction away from the adjacent edge of the gate panel 6 wherebythe wire 8 is moved longitudinally and the upper portion of the latch 7is moved toward the adjacent edge of the gate panel 6. Therefore thesaid latch 7 may be withdrawn from the keeper 10 or either of thekeepers 12 with which it might be in engagement when the bar 14 is movedlongitudinally. The parts are so arranged and proportioned that it makesno difference in which direction the bar 14 is moved for if the said baris moved in either of two directions the upper end of the latch 7 isdrawn toward the adjacent edge of the panel 6 and consequently the saidlatch is moved out of engagement with any keeper with which it might bein contact. A U- shaped rack bar 17 is slidably mounted upon the bar 14and the said bar 17 is provided at its intermediate portion with teethwhich engage the teeth of the gear wheel 13 as best shown in Figs. 4 and3 of the drawings. A stop member 18 is fixed to the intermediate portionof the bar 14 and coil springs 19 are interposed between the said stopmember 18 and the ends of the bar 17 and serve to resiliently hold thebar 17 in position upon the bar 14. Upon the initial movement of the bar14 one of the springs 19 compresses and the other elongates whereby thebar 17 does not move with the initial movement of the bar 14. But whenone of the said springs 19 is sufficiently compressed the bar 17 moveswith the bar 14. Thus the initial movement of the bar 14 serves todisengage the latch 7 from that keeper in which it is in engagement andthe final movement of the bar 14 serves to move the bar 17 and throughthe engagement between the bar 17 and the gear wheel 13 the gate panel 6is swung with relation to the hinge post 1. Panel swinging mechanisms Aand B are located at the opposite sides of the hinge post 1 and inasmuchas these mechanisms are alike a description of one will answer. Eachpanel swinging mechanism comprises a plate 20 and a bearing 21. A tripshaft 22 is journaled in the plate 20 and bearing 21 and the said shaftis provided at a point between the plate 20 and bearing 21 with a crankportion 23. A coil spring 24 is attached at one end to the'shaft 22 andits other end to the bearing 21 and the tension of the said spring 24 issuch to normally hold the crank 23 toward the bearing 21.

crank 25 and a lug 26 is mounted upon the intermediate portion of thesaid crank A resilient ramp 27 is secured at a fixed po sition adjacentthe bearing 21 and the said ramp is provided with an upstanding lug 28which is adapted to engage the end of the shaft 22 and move the samelongitudinally against the tension of the spring 24 when the free endportion of the said ramp 27 is depressed. A resilient ramp 29 is alsosecuredat a fixed position and is disposed approximately parallel withthe ramp 27 and spaced therefrom. A lever 30 is fulcrumed at the side ofthe plate 20 and one end of the said lever is connected with the freeend of the ramp 29 and the other end of the said lever lies under theintermediate portion of the crank 23 0f the shaft 22.

A shaft 31 is journaled in the plate 20 and the said shaft is providedat one end with a crank 32 having at its free end an angularly disposedextremity 33. The shaft 31 is further provided with a crank end 34 towhich one end of a rod 35 is pivotally connected. The inner end of therod 35 is connected with one end of the bar 14. A lug 36 is carried bythe rod 35 and is adapted to cooperate with the lug 26 upon theintermediate portion of the crank 25 and explained hereinafter. I

The operation of the gate structure is as follows :Assuming that theparts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1 which is the normal positionsof the parts and a vehicle is approaching the panel operating mechanismA, Fig. 8 of thedrawing indicates the relative positions of the parts ofthe said panel operating mechanism. The said panel operating mechanismwith the wheel of the vehicle is diagrammatically represented at 37.WVhen the wheel 37 moves upon the ramp 29 the same is depressed to thepositions shown in Fig. 9 of the drawing. Thus the leier 30 is swungupon its pivotal connection with the plate 20 and its extremity 33engages under the intermediate portion of the crank 23 of the shaft 22and swings the said portion 23 to the inclined position shown in Fig. 9of the drawing. At this position it will be observed that theintermediate part of the crank portion 23 is above the extremity 33 ofthe crank 32. The wheel 37 then moves upon and depresses the ramp 27.whereby the same is caused to assume the position shown in Fig. 10 ofthe drawing. During the downward movement ofthe free end of the ramp 27the lug 28 thereof encounters the end of the shaft 22 and moves the saidshaft longitudinally against the tension of the spring 21 hereinbeforedescribed whereby the intermediate portion of the crank 23 is carriedinto engagement with the extremity 33 of the crank 32. The wheel 37 thenencounters the intermediate portion of the crank 23 and depresses thesame to the position shown in Fig. 11 of the drawing. During thedownward movement of the crank portion 23 the shaft 22 is rotated orturned whereby the lug 26 carried upon the crank 25 encounters the lug36 and the rod 35 is moved longitudinally. Inasmuch as the said rod 35is connected with the bar 14 the bar 14 is moved and the gate panel 6 isswung from a closed to an open position as hereinbefore described. Afterthe wheel 37 passes beyond the ramps 29 and 27 the said ramps by reasonof their resiliency swing back to the elevated positions as shown inFig. 11 of the drawing.

Inasmuch as the rod 35 of the panel operating mechanism B is connectedwith the bar 14, the said rod 35 of the mechanism B is movedlongitudinally whereby the crank portion 23 of the shaft 22 of themechanism B is elevated or swung to the positions shown in Fig. 12 ofthe drawing. After the vehicle passes through the gate opening and thewheel 37 approaches the mechanism B the said wheel engages the elevatedcrank portion 23 and swings the same down to the position 'shown in Fig.1,3. Therefore the shaft 22 of the mechanism B is turned whereby thecrank extremity 25 of the shaft 22 encounters the intermediate portionof the crank 34 and the rod 35 is moved longitudinally. Inasmuch as therod of the mechanism B is also connected with the bar 1a the said bar 14is moved longitudinally and the gate panel is swung from an open to aclosed position. From the foregoing description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing it will be seen that a gate structure ofsimple and durable nature is provided and that the same may beautomatically operated by the wheel of an approaching vehicle foropening a. gate panel and closing the same after the vehicle has passedthrough the gate opening. By reason of the fact that the ramps areadapted to operate successively in conjunction with the crank trip ofthe shaft 22 it is practically impossible for animals moving or walkingabout the structure to accidentally open or close the same.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. A gate structurecomprising a post, a shaft j ournaled thereon, a resilient arm mountedupon the shaft and having a curved shoe, a panel pivoted upon the shaft,a latch carried by the panel and means operatively connecting the latchwith the shoe, a gear wheel carried by the panel and concentricallypositioned with relation to the shaft, a bar movably mountedtransversely of the post, a lug carried by said bar for engaging saidshoe, a second bar resiliently supported upon the first mentioned barand engaging the said gear wheel.

2. A gate panel operating mechanism comprising a shaft journaled insupports, a spring connected with the shaft and one of the supports,said shaft having an intermediate crank portion and an end crank, a lugcarried by the end crank, a second shaft journaled in one of thesupports and having a crank provided with an extremity adapted to beencountered by the intermediate portion of the crank of the firstmentioned shaft, a rod pivotally connected with the crank of the lastmentioned shaft, a lug car ried by said rod and adapted to beencountered by the lug upon the crank of the first mentioned shaft.

3. A gate panel operating mechanism comprising a crank shaft journaledfor turning movement, a spring engaging said shaft and adapted to holdthe same in a normal position, a crank provided at the end of the shaftand having a lug, a second shaft jour- .naled for rotation and having acrank provided with an extremity adapted to be engaged by the firstmentioned shaft, the second mentioned shaft'also having a crank, a. rodpivoted to the last mentioned crank and having a lug adapted to beencountered by the first mentioned lug and a resilient ramp having a lugadapted to encounter the first mentioned shaft.

4. A gate panel operating mechanism comprising a shaft journaled insupports, and having intermediate and end cranks, a spring engaging saidshaft for holding the same at a normal position, a lug carried. by theend crank of said shaft, a second shaft journaled adjacent the firstmentioned shaft and having cranks provided at its ends, one of the saidcranks being provided with an extremity adapted to be encountered by theintermediate crank of the first mentioned shaft, a rod pivotallyconnected with the other crank of the second mentioned shaft and having:1 lug adapted to he encountered a lever pirotally connected With thesecond by the lug carried by the first mentioned mentioned ramp andhaving an end portion shaft, a resilient ramp mounted adjacent thelocated under the intermediate crank of the 10 first mentioned shaft andhaving :1 lug first mentioned shaft.

adapted to encounter the said shaft and In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature. move the same longitudinally a second ramp mounted adjacentthe first mentioned ramp, WILLIAM STEPHEN HOLLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

